


Meet Cute

by kzepplin (Sailorzeplin)



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:34:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25998358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sailorzeplin/pseuds/kzepplin
Summary: Again this is a fic that has been written for a grand total of like five people
Kudos: 4





	Meet Cute

It had taken years for Sweet Pea to get comfortable in his own skin, a little bit too gentle to withstand his dad’s anger, a little bit too clumsy to fight for himself - he was a soft kid, wide eyed and trusting. It wasn’t until his early teen years that he changed. He was suddenly taller than all the other kids, intimidating in a way that he never had been before. And that made people gravitate towards him: a fiery kid from out of state and a girl with a grudge against everyone. It was only natural that they fell in with the wrong crowd, given who they were and where they lived. And he had just started to get comfortable, when it had all been ripped away from him again. Now, a year later, he was trying to pick up the pieces of what remained of his normal life when another thing came along and knocked him off his feet.

~~

Pop’s was empty that morning, most of the town holed up in their houses out of fear of the newest Riverdale criminal, and he was waiting for Toni and Fangs to show up, when the bell over the door rang. He looked, expecting to see his friends, but was instead greeted by a different, yet still familiar, face. It was the kid from the funeral, looking a little worse for the wear, bandage over the bridge of his nose and bruises still visible despite a valiant coverup effort. He hadn’t really developed the same animosity towards the kid that Cooper and Jones and their other strange friends had, but he still surprised himself when, almost unconsciously, he called him over.  
“Hey, um, Bret, was it?” he tried asking, but the guy didn’t answer, eyes darting nervously between the Serpent jacket draped over the booth seats and his face, flinching back just a bit as Sweet Pea moved to get up from the table. “Woah, dude, calm down, I’m not gonna attack you out of nowhere. I’d like to think I’m more civilized than that.” The guy didn’t look too convinced, but he stepped out of the doorway towards his table, so Sweet Pea decided to count that as progress. He stood there looking anxious for a while, before he slid into the seat across from Sweet Pea, taking up his offer to sit.  
“So, was I right? You’re Bret? I saw you at Jones’ funeral so I assume you know him?”  
“Oh uh, yeah, it’s Bret. And yeah, you could say Jones and I...know each other. Uhm. Did he...do you know anything about how we know each other?”  
“Huh? Oh, no, not really. I don’t get into the same bullshit as Jones and his friends. They’re always on something new. Why? Did you two fuck or something? Betty really seems to hate you, so, I assume it’s something like that.” Bret colored pink at the suggestion, eyes darting away, but he shook his head, laughing a little bit.  
“No it wasn’t anything like that, but, you know what? It doesn’t really matter. How do you know Jones and his companions? I assume from the matching jackets you and him should be pretty...close.” Sweet Pea moved automatically to cover the jacket, covering the logo.  
“No it’s not like that...the Serpents aren’t really a thing anymore. The jackets are more a thing for me and my friends now. We aren’t really into that sort of thing anymore.” The conversation lulled then, falling into a silence that wasn’t awkward but wasn’t comfortable either, interrupted by Pop bringing over two milkshakes and a basket of fries.  
“Hey Pop, wait, I haven’t ordered yet.” Sweet Pea tried to stop him and pass back the food, but Pop stayed his hand.  
“It’s on the house for today boys, don’t worry about it.” He didn’t wait for a response from either of the two before he shuffled back to the kitchen, leaving them alone in the diner.  
There were a few more beats of silence before Bret began to laugh, quietly but genuine, head tipped back a bit. It was...Sweet Pea didn’t really know what to think actually, but a nervous and giddy feeling fizzed in his veins as he watched him laugh.  
“What’s so funny man? I feel like I’ve missed out on a joke.”  
“Nothing, I just, did you know I’ve never been to a diner before? I always went out to eat with Donna or my tutor or my dad and not once did we ever go to a diner. And now, here I am, sitting at a diner with a kid I barely know, who I was sure was going to try and kill me a few minutes ago. I don’t even know your name, did you know that? You knew mine, and I didn’t ever bother to try and remember yours.” He laughed again, but it was sadder now, less genuine than it had been a few moments ago, and Sweet Pea couldn’t help but feel a little bit sad for him.  
“Sweet Pea.”  
“Huh?”  
“My name’s Sweet Pea.”  
Bret smiled, and for a second Sweet Pea couldn’t help but brace for the impact of a mocking laugh or a cruel insult, because for all the ways he had changed over the years, he had never forgotten what life had been like, before everything had become different for him. However, instead of being cruel to him, Bret just reached across the table, offering his hand to shake.  
“Well, it’s nice to officially get to know you, Sweet Pea.”  
“Same for you Bret.” They shook hands, strangely formal for the way they were meeting, but Sweet Pea didn’t mind. The milkshakes Pop gave them were wonderfully sweet, and they swapped glasses about halfway through the meal, Bret’s laughter still causing that giddy, fizzy feeling under Sweet Pea’s skin, amplifying even more when Bret’s hand fell against his and didn’t move away.

~~

Sweet Pea had taken years to get comfortable with himself, feeling safe enough to say in the mirror what he knew had been true for years, tacking the little rainbow pin onto his leather jacket when Fangs bought it for him. He was happy with himself now, despite the fact that every few months Riverdale would send a new obstacle or event that would knock him off his feet or disorient him. Luckily, this new event wasn’t the typical terrible thing that the town would usually throw his way. This time it was something a little bit different, butterflies in his stomach and a sweet buzz under his skin, a strangely formal boy who shook his hand to introduce himself, who had never had diner food before, and who held his hand easily and without care.


End file.
